The Nightmares that Follow
by FeelthePainofPropane
Summary: Ganon has been slain and peace has returned to the Kingdom of Hyrule. The castle is being rebuilt and all the races are united. But one person can't seem to escape the events of the past. A short story.


**Hello again! So this time, I wanted to make an original fanfiction of my own. Not a big epic, just a little short story to add to a universe. And what better one to do than the Legend of Zelda!**

 **I always thought that people usually tell stories about the main events in the Zelda worlds. But they never really talk about what happens afterwards. So I wanted to write about a scenario I thought about.**

 **It takes place after Ocarina of Time. However, in this story, Link was not sent back by Zelda and stayed to help rebuild.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

It had been a busy year for Hyrule.

The evil king Ganondorf had finally been defeated after seven long years of dark rule. When word had spread that his reign was over, all the races that inhabited the land, Hylians, Gorons, Zoras, Kokiri, and even Gerudo, gathered at Lon Lon Ranch in a celebration so grand it lasted three straight days and nights! Everyone, even those who were once under Ganondorf's influence, came to commemorate the victory of Link, the Hero of Time, and looked forward to a new age of peace and prosperity.

However, all parties have to end and work needs to begin at some time.

Once the festivities had calmed down and people sobered up (mostly the grown-ups), Princess Zelda, with Link by her side, made an announcement to her subjects. Even though Ganondorf's castle was now destroyed and the main town retaken, everything was still a shell of its former self. The buildings were wrecked, rubble and debris scattered around the main square and streets, and the place where the evil fortress once stood was now nothing more than a ruin. For peace to truly return to Hyrule, they would have to rebuild everything they had lost. Though some of the races owed nothing to the Hylian people, Zelda appealed for the help of all the people who called Hyrule their home to help in this rebuilding.

Her plea did not fall on deaf ears.

For the next year, every citizen of Hyrule gave their hand in rebuilding Hyrule Castle and its town. Everyone did their fair share; the Gorons provided good stone and metal from their mountains, while the Kokiri gave out their prized trees for timber. The Zoras volunteered to transport water from Lake Hylia to the various construction sites, while the Gerudo lent their hands in manual labor, much to the amazement of the Hylian men.

Not to say that the Hylians didn't pitch in, as well. Talon, the reinstated owner of Lon Lon Ranch, lent some of his horses to pull the carts and wagons carrying the much needed building materials. The company of carpenters were almost constantly in a state of movement, both from working the lumber for the buildings as well as supervising the new trainees they had recruited.

With all this gracious help, the reconstruction had been accelerated ten-fold. Almost all of Hyrule Castle Town had been rebuilt, while the castle itself was halfway done. Things were looking up for the people of Hyrule.

With the exception of one.

* * *

There was nothing but black. No light, no sound, not even a sense of feeling. Nothing.

Then the world was red.

Link opened his eyes to see that he was back inside the Great Deku Tree, only he wasn't an adult anymore. He was a child once again, armed with nothing but a tiny Deku sheild and Kokiri sword. Link looked around the red tinted world in a panic, wondering how he got here and where everyone from Hyrule castle had gone.

Then, creaking from the darkness above, he heard a bone-chilling scuttling sound. He looked up and saw four giant legs hanging from the wooded ceiling with a giant red eye radiating from the inky blackness.

Gohma!

Link tried to move out of the way, but his legs were frozen in place and wouldn't obey. As the giant arachnid spotted him, she released her hold from the ceiling, descending onto Link, ready to crush him. All Link could do was watch as the monstrous body collided with his own.

Suddenly, the monster was gone in a flash, and Link was once again transformed into an adult. But this time, he was back in the Fire Temple, in the lava pits at the heart of the volcano. And just as before, the only movement he could make was when he looked around.

In a flash of unholy light, the dreaded dragon Volvagia slithered his way out of the fiery pits, hot flames spewing out of his mouth. He flew around the antechamber as if proclaiming the completion of his original task of eating the Gorons. Then, he bolted towards Link, his maw agape, ready to sink his fangs into the hero.

Another flash. Link was in the Shadow Temple. Bongo Bongo banged his drum, then lifted his hands, ready to crush.

Flash. Link was a child in the Dodongo's Cavern. King Dodongo reared his head and spewed out a column of fire.

Flash. Link was in the Spirit Temple. Twinrova hovered above, giving him a seductive, yet disturbing, wink. She then lifted both her wands, charging them with magic, and unleashed their power onto Link.

Finally, Link found himself laying in the rubble of Ganondorf's castle, the world still red as crimson blood. Towering above him stood the beast himself.

Ganon drew his twin swords which shined with an evil glint. His size grew larger and larger until he seemed to rival the castle that once stood where Link laid. As Ganon grew to into a titan, Link became wrapped in chains coated with evil enchantments, holding him down like a heretic upon the rack. Staring down at the tiny insect that he seemed, Ganon let out a roar that should have turned Link deaf. The roar grew louder and louder until Link could feel pools of blood forming in his ears and streaming down the sides of his head as he felt the force of the roar plunge him into the darkness.

Link could not fight. He could not move. He could not think.

All he could do was scream.

* * *

Link jolted up from his bed with a fright. His eyes were bugged out, his green sleeping attire drenched in sweat, and his face as pale as the moon.

He frantically looked around to see that he was in the newly constructed royal bedroom, sleeping in a canopied bed draped in curtains. Around him were various wardrobes, dressers and bookshelves filled with tomes, all recently made. The floor was dressed with a great rug which bared the symbol the the royal family, the Triforce, while the windows and balcony entrance were draped in flowing silk curtains. At the far side of the room, the fire in the hearth had smoldered down to mere embers.

As Link finally steadied his breathing, he realized that he was griping his unsheathed sword with white knuckles. It wasn't the Master Sword though, as Link returned that to the Temple of Time; this was just a ordinary sword that he kept by his bed, just in case he needed to defend himself during the night.

Link sighed as he put the sword back into its hilt and rested it beside the bed.

He then glanced to his left to see if Zelda was still asleep. Sure enough, she was.

During the year of the Great Reconstruction, as the royal historians had named it, Link and Zelda started to grow closer. When the rebuilding began, Zelda had asked Link if he would help her as her right hand, to which he readily accepted. He helped her with managing the workers and supply systems for the great project, as well as helped with the manual labor. As the days and months passed on, Link and Zelda would spent more and more time together away from the rebuilding. Link would take her riding on Epona through Hyrule Field to show her all of the places he explored on his adventures and to have walks by the river. Over time, Zelda came to admire Link; yes, she always admired him for his courage and unbreakable will, but this...this was something else.

She admired the way Link seemed to bring a sense of calmness to everyone. She admired the way he was so strong, yet so gentle. She liked the silly grins he made when he was having fun, she liked that he was kind, she liked that she always felt safe near him, she loved the way her heart would flutter every time she saw him...

She loved...him.

Finally, about six months into the reconstruction, the two of them were on one of their walks by the river when Zelda confessed to Link how much she cared for him, and he in turn accepted her. They then spent the rest of the evening beside the river, enveloped in each others loving embrace.

As all the sweet memories of their time together flowed on, Link started to calm down from his night terror. Yet he couldn't shake away the dark feeling dread from his mind. He got out of bed and exited the bedroom.

Link walked down the stone corridors of the castle until he stopped at a particularly large balcony. It was built on south face of the castle, towards the town. From it, you could see all of Hyrule field, Kokiri Forest, and the Gerudo Desert in the distance.

This was Link's favorite spot in the castle; it was where he would come to clear his mind and to look over the land he called home.

Now he was using it to try and rid himself of the nightmares that follow.

Zelda stirred in her bed as she tried make herself comfortable. She moved her arm to rest upon her lover, but she noticed that there was no warmth where link usually slept. She opened her eyes to see that Link was gone, leaving upturned blankets in his place.

"Link?" Zelda asked herself.

Noticing that the door to their bedroom was slightly ajar, Zelda grabbed her purple silk dressing gown and lit the candle on her nightstand. She knew exactly where Link would be.

A few minutes later, Zelda arrived at the grand balcony to see Link leaning over the railing, looking out over Hyrule. Link turned his head and saw her, her golden hair glistening in the moonlight.

"Link, what are you doing out here?"

Even though she knew Link couldn't answer her because he was mute (except for his usual yells and grunts), Zelda always asked him questions to be respectful. Link turned his head back toward Hyrule field, saying nothing.

Zelda walked up beside Link and wrapped her arm around him, resting the candle on the railing.

"It was the nightmares again, wasn't it?"

Link nodded yes

Zelda sighed in sadness.

"Oh Link," she said as she rested her head in Link's broad shoulder, "I wish I could know what it is that torments you so. At least then I could try and help you."

Link took her hand in his, signaling that he was grateful for Zelda's care and concern. He felt a little better from feeling her loving embrace. Zelda closed her eyes, absorbing the comforting warmth of her lover.

All of a sudden, Zelda's eyes opened wide with realization.

"Wait!" she exclaimed, "Link, stay here. I'll be right back!"

Zelda grabbed her still lit candle and left the balcony in a rush, leaving Link completely bewildered.

Zelda descended through the castle's numerous stairways until she reached the grand throne room. It was a long and spacious chamber, almost as spacious as the Temple of Time. Twelve large stone columns, six on either side, vertically lined the chamber. All of them were draped with banners bearing the symbol of the Triforce. On the floor laid a long, magnificent and finely-crafted carpet that shone brightly from the moonlight coming through the stained-glass windows. It bore the story of how Link rallied the Seven Sages of Hyrule together and conquered the many trials and tribulations he faced along the way. Finally, at the feet of the grand royal throne, stood the scene where Link vanquished the monster Ganon.

Zelda walked behind the throne and stood there, seemingly staring at the blank stone wall.

Then, she found what she was looking for.

Zelda pressed a lose stone slab that bore a tiny version of the Triforce on its bottom right corner. Suddenly, a piece of the wall slid open, revealing a secret staircase. Zelda carefully walked down the passage, illuminating her path with her candle.

Finally, Zelda reached the bottom of the passage and entered a room that was filled with all sorts of treasures. Most of them were artifacts passed down by the royal family, while others had been gifts from the other races.

After searching through the many artifacts, Zelda finally found her query. It was a blue orb, no bigger than marble, resting on a velvet pillow. She picked it up gingerly and exited the chamber with haste.

* * *

A few minutes later, Zelda returned to the balcony. Link turned to greet her, not having moved from his original spot.

"Here we are, Link! This is what I wanted to show you." said Zelda, showing Link the blue orb.

Link gave her a quizzing look.

"This is an artifact that was given to the royal family by the Gerudo ages ago. It's called the Dream Pearl. It allows the user to see another person's dreams and experience their feelings. With this, I may finally know what it is that torments you."

Link took a moment to think about Zelda's proposition. After a few moments, he nodded yes and beckoned Zelda to come closer.

Zelda walked up to Link and pressed the Pearl against his forehead.

"Are you ready?"

Link nodded yes

Zelda closed her eyes as the Dream Pearl started to glow blue.

Then all she could see was red.

Zelda stood where Link stood throughout all of his nightmares. Every monster, every foe, and every death, she could see them all. Images of every creature Link had faced flashed through her mind as each one of them seemingly brought Link to his end. Zelda could feel the pure dread and misery that Link felt with each and every blow, right until she, too, was plunged into the void.

Zelda was suddenly snapped from her trance as the Dream Pearl ceased its work. Link gave her a worried look as Zelda looked like she had seen a Poe.

It was at that moment that Zelda started to weep.

"Oh Link!" Zelda choked as she flung herself into Link's arms. Link returned her embrace, letting Zelda sob into his shoulder as much as her heart desired.

After ten minutes of weeping, Zelda was finally able to talk, though her words were interrupted by chokes and hiccups from her crying.

"Link... I'm so sorry. All of this... your nightmares, your pain your suffering... everything is my fault!"

Link instinctively held Zelda tighter as she continued her confession.

"I never should have brought this burden upon you. I should not have forced you to fight a war that wasn't your own. Please.. please forgive me!"

Link gently pushed Zelda away from his shoulder and lovingly placed his hands upon her cheek, still wet with tears. He guided her head so that her eyes met with his own, wiping the tears away from her beautiful blue eyes.

Link leaned down and gave Zelda a soft but tender kiss.

After a few minutes, Link released his hold of Zelda's lips, giving her a moment to recover from the intensely intimate exchange. Zelda looked up into Link's piercing sapphire eyes to see that he was smiling and that he bore a look of pure adoration. He was not at all mad, nor shameful, nor accusatory. No, this was a look of kindness. A look of understanding. A look of love.

"Link... you don't blame me for anything?"

Link slowly shook his head no.

Zelda smiled as a wave of relief washed over her. She once again started to cry, but this time, it was tears of joy.

"Thank you. Thank you, my love."

Zelda gave Link a tender, heartfelt hug, one that Link more than happily returned.

"Have no fear, Link. No matter what happens, no matter what terrors of the past may plaque you, I will be here for you. Always."

Link gave Zelda a light peck on the cheek and returned to their embrace. He then knew that no matter what kind of turmoil he would face, he would always have Zelda by his side

And he a feeling that the nightmares were starting to fade.

* * *

 **And that's all folks! Be sure to review if you liked it or have any suggestions and comments. And as always, good night and joy be with you all!**


End file.
